Tuesday Morning Rockpile: Those Guys?

by Russ Oates on Aug 14, 2007 8:57 AM MDT in Rockpile

While Franklin Morales is the likely preferred choice to make Saturday's start, the Rockies still have interest in Steve Trachsel and Josh Towers. Yep, Steve Trachsel. A guy with a 1.62 WHIP and more walks (62) than strikeouts (41). Young, untested power arm or a savvy veteran? The choice shouldn't be difficult.

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Thomas Harding had his latest mailbag appear yesterday. In response to a question about Chris Iannetta, Harding had this to say:

I thought he played too much early. It's one thing for a veteran to have three bad weeks and come to the plate staring at a sub-.200 batting average on the scoreboard. It's a little tougher when you don't have years of big league at-bats on the back of your baseball card.

OK, let's think about this: Iannetta won the starting catcher's job out of spring training. That would lead one to believe that he'd get the playing time a starting catcher usually receives. But it was closer to a 50-50 split platoon that month than having an outright starting catcher, with Torrealba starting 14 games to Iannetta's 12.

That's not too much playing time. Too much would have been Iannetta also starting half of the games Torrealba did. Iannetta started enough games to show Hurdle that he wasn't the starter anymore.

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The Tigers will reportedly sign Rick Porcello to the richest deal ever given to a high schooler. A major league contract for four years, $7.7M -- no reason to think the Rockies organization would have given that amount out. Not that that is a bad thing. Is it really prudent to hand out that amount of money?

With the signing deadline fast approaching, we'll get a better idea of how far down the Rockies first round draft pick will be. Currently, the Rockies have the 18th pick before the signing deadline. There are nine unsigned draft picks in the first 17 choices. Say all but two sign with their clubs, moving down two picks isn't all that bad.

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First round picks

$7.7 mill for a 18 yearold kid is beyond common sense....

It's getting to the point that we may see more and more teams not signing 1st rounders anymore. The small market clubs will have to build their systems starting with the 2nd round.

by roxhead on Aug 14, 2007 9:46 AM MDT reply actions

Iannetta...

What everybody seems to forget is that Tulo was .188/.290/.282 on April 25 after playing 18 games. Tulo was allowed to play through his troubles, Iannetta was benched--I can't help but think the outcome may have been different had Iannetta continued to get more ABs.

by DenverBears on Aug 14, 2007 10:26 AM MDT reply actions

Trachsel

Would be a mistake. That BB/K ratio is a recipe for disaster, particularly at altitude. Surely O'Dowd realizes this.

The only beneficiaries would be the beer vendors, as fans watch interminable innings by the slowest-working pitcher in MLBB.

by alexcolfax on Aug 14, 2007 10:45 AM MDT reply actions

agree

i would hate to be at a game he pitches every game he pitches is at least 3:30 game it sucks

2008 pitching: francis, uball,morales,cook,hirsh. SOLID

by roxfan4life on Aug 14, 2007 3:19 PM MDT up reply actions

Scary

I'm scared about the future financial state of baseball. We're already at a handicap to the big market teams due to payroll constraints. If we have to pick our talent from the 2nd round and later, there goes the "building through the farm system" approach that has made Oakland and Minnesota (and the Rockies to a lesser extent) viable major league franchises.

by Roberbola on Aug 14, 2007 10:57 AM MDT reply actions

Too Many Ianetta

apologists around here. Bottom line is he was overpowered, over matched and did not produce. The team's offense was enept and he was leaving too many stranded. He was no where close to Tulos level early on. He needed to be sent down in May. Rockies should have found a suitable backup so he could get some more ABs in the Springs. He lost a year essentially.

by PinchHitLancePainter on Aug 14, 2007 11:13 AM MDT reply actions

There wasn't much difference

Between Chris and Yorvit through May, but Yorvit got increasingly more playing time, I think, because he got a couple of more "clutch" rbi's, and his batting average was a bit higher. Once Yorvi got the large majority of time, his production increased, and now he seems to be the better choice. It's impossible to know what may have come of Chris's season had he been given the same chance, but I assume he'll do well now that he gets to play more often, and that he'll eventually become a productive major leaguer.

by jlikesrockies on Aug 14, 2007 2:55 PM MDT up reply actions

uhh....

Tulo was a disaster to start the year...no better than Iannetta. Whether Iannetta would have worked out of it is debatable, but the difference between the two was minor. Tulo was hitting .185/.246/.274 on April 25th and then went on a mini-streak to bring his average up to a respectable level. By the time Iannetta had the same number of plate appearances, he was hitting .175/.316/.351 (the middle of May), so I guess this is what you mean by nowhere close to Tulos level. Iannetta was striking out at a higher rate, but Tulo was striking out a lot too. Also, if you look at last year's stats, Iannetta actually did much better than Tulo, so there is no reason to think from a statistical standpoint that he was a worse bet to work out of it than Tulo.

by DenverBears on Aug 14, 2007 4:00 PM MDT up reply actions

Foreign players

I think the signing bonuses are why so many teams have been signing people from other countries. If you look at Hector Gomez ($60,000), Aneury Rodriguez ($90,000) and Franklin Morales ($45,000), you can see why. It allows to get more players along with Chris Nelson ($2.15 million) and Chaz Roe ($1 million).

by wsmith on Aug 14, 2007 11:56 AM MDT reply actions

Rotation

I know everybody wants to see Morales up here but, after last nights outing for the Springs, I don't think bringing him up to start Saturday is a good idea. It doesn't look like he's ready. Even if he was nervous because O'Dowd was in the crowd, that doesn't help because logic says that he would be even more nervous making his major league debut in what could be a critical game for the team against a another contending team. Morales needs more time in AAA to improve his command. If we can't get a pitcher from outside the organization before Saturday, let either Dessens start or let Buchholz spot start. Let's not push Morales.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 14, 2007 12:02 PM MDT reply actions

agree

and for whats its worth rodrigo lopez was at the game so there ya go

2008 pitching: francis, uball,morales,cook,hirsh. SOLID

by roxfan4life on Aug 14, 2007 3:21 PM MDT up reply actions

Not nerves

I don't think is was nerves that was the problem last night for Morales. Based on what I've read it sounds like he went back to how he used to pitch when he was here and in Modesto (first half of the season). He sometimes thinks too much about striking the batter out more than his delivery and that's when he gets into trouble. However, there is a small upside. Before he wouldn't have made the adjustment to throw off-speed pitches after realizing that his FB was going too high in the zone and last night he did. Of course it would have been better if he had done more of it in the first inning, but he's getting better. By no means am I saying that we need to rush him up to the show, but I don't think that we should discount him either. Even after last night, a lot of the players still want him up there with them on Saturday, but of course that's up to Hurdle. I think he'd do just fine if given the chance and probably better than most of the alternatives.

by wsmith on Aug 14, 2007 12:42 PM MDT reply actions

Morales

I watched from five rows behind home plate. Bottom line is he is Ubaldo II right now. Great velocity, straight ball, low command, great stuff. Rockies need to let kim finish out this season in AAA and maybe call him up for some controlled relief appearances in Sept. He is not ready to start on a contending team at this point.

by PinchHitLancePainter on Aug 14, 2007 12:54 PM MDT reply actions

AA or MLB

For guys with questionable command/control (rather than polished, mature guys like Francis and Reynolds) I think that leaving them in AAA to 'mature' is a very risky thing.

by MADness on Aug 14, 2007 4:05 PM MDT up reply actions

I've seen you make this point twice now

and believe you're overlooking the role of altitude in flattening out Morales' pitches. Morales showed plus life on his fastball in AA, and most scouting reports leading up to this year have suggested as much. While overthrowing can also take life off the ball, the real culprit was likely the lack of a humidor in the Springs.

Morales has to show better command, but this is just another example of how dumb it is to use AAA home starts as a measuring stick for our prospects. Morales essentially knew last night was his big audition, so added with nerves are a the bone dry baseballs that don't react like any ball he's pitched with this season. His curve is so big and thrown with good enough velocity that I'm sure he was able to overcome enough to make it usable, but I'd imagine he was not able to adjust his fastball location to the lack of movement he's come to expect from the pitch.

A better point was made by wsmith above, when talking about Morales' mechanics. Morales doesn't have Greg Reynolds' textbook mechanics, where every motion is designed to maintain composure and balance leading to a consistent break of the hands, arm slot and release point. Morales has more of a rhythm and feel style of pitching, the way he rocks back a bit before delivering, and rolling his hands out on the break. Sometimes he can get away without focus because he's worked himself into a rhythm, but other times, he will rush his mechanics, either breaking his hands to late, or failing to stay consistent with his arm slot. With more maturity, he'll understand the focus needed to maintain his mechincs and not get in a habit of rushing his delivery and trying to overthrow.

As for his immediate future, I wouldn't blame the FO and staff if they wanted to keep him back because they felt it would hinder his development. However, I don't believe you can hold him back because you don't feel he could potentially be an asset, when your alternaitves would be Dessens, Trachsel, Towers, etc. If you don't believe he can help you win, how the hell do you think these other guys can? Towers HR rate is dangerously high for a guy coming to a park that still is friendly to the long ball, Trachsel can't boast command over Morales when he walks more than he K's, and if Dessens was an asset, wouldn't the contending Brewers with their own inconsistent pitching hang on to the guy if they thought he could be of service?

The issue with Morales is his development. Will it hurt him or help him, because from the names we know, the Rockies can't make the argument that Morales will hurt the club any more than the other three.

by David OhNo on Aug 14, 2007 4:14 PM MDT up reply actions

Buchholz?

Have the Rockies just completely forgotten about the guy?

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 14, 2007 3:45 PM MDT reply actions

I haven't

See my sig? I've been campaigning for a while that he should get another shot at the rotation, especially after pitching 5 solid innings in relief of Jimenez on Thursday. Buchholz is a better option than what they are trying to throw up here. I don't get it either.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 14, 2007 4:02 PM MDT up reply actions

bucky

said he wanted to be in the pen. the rockies are listening

2008 pitching: francis, uball,morales,cook,hirsh. SOLID

by roxfan4life on Aug 14, 2007 4:21 PM MDT up reply actions

Do we need a reminder?

I used to want to see this as well, but at this point in time, the Rockies feel they have a good idea of what he can bring as a starter. From what we know, he's not an improvement. Buchholz average innings per start is below 6, so it's hard to say he'd save the bullpen any more than Morales or Jimenez. Buchholz hit rate as a starter is pretty rough, and it makes me wonder if his third/fourth offerings aren't up to snuff for starting, which is causing him to be predictable. Just on the surface, his 5.98 ERA starting doesn't appear to tip the balance in his favor either.

Does that mean I don't believe that he could be a decent starter, no, but I'm sure Phillies fans felt the same way about Madson, Blue Jay fans about League and Janssen, Oakland fans about Duchscherer, Nats and Sox fans about Rauch. Sometimes, the perception fails to meet reality with these guys, and they instead find their success in the bullpen. For Taylor, that appears to be the case.

The point is simple. The Rockies already feel like they've auditioned Buchholz, and it didn't go all that well.

by David OhNo on Aug 14, 2007 4:24 PM MDT up reply actions

Yes, however...

I think he is a better option than Steve Trachsel or Josh Towers. If the Rockies need a starter that badly for Saturday, and don't want to call up Morales, I'd much rather just see the option the Rockies already have around (Buchholz) than pick up one of those two.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 14, 2007 5:13 PM MDT up reply actions

Saturday's game may be huge

All the games on this trip will be a step up in importance, but Saturday's may be the biggest because I can see the Rox losing 2 out of three in San Diego, then the first in LA.

Whether that happens or not, I'd let Buchholz give it a go on this trip. It's a tough thing to put Morales in that situation. Bring him up at home against the Pirates the following thursday.

by roxhead on Aug 14, 2007 5:08 PM MDT reply actions